Process of converting hair.



rrnn sTATns PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. CAMPBEL or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To AMERICAN GLUE- COMPANY, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS.

PROCESS OF CONVERTING HAIR.

Tacoma.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

BELL, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, a citizen of the United 'States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Processes of Converting Hair, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a process of converting hair into a soluble state and especially the hair of goats, cattle and horses.

The essential object of my invention is to provide a process of converting hair by which the nitrogenous elements in the hair may be preserved and the resultant product be available for fertilizing and other pur poses.

The process essentially consists in converting the hair in the presence of such dilute alkaline solution as will operate to convert the hair so that it will enter into solution only upon the application of heat, and gen tly cooking the hair by applied heat in such a solution for a protracted period of time. I prefer to employ a dilute solution of caustic soda as the alkaline converting agent, in practice employing a one to two per cent. solution of caustic soda. The receptacle in which the alkaline solution and hair are placed is preferably a steam-jacketed digester and the heat maintained in the digester or receptacle is a light heat and preferably of approximately 200 to 210 degrees F. The cooking is gently carried on for a protracted eriod of time and until the hair is convertec. I prefer, however, that the cooking by applied heat be carried on only until the hair has become about all converted in the solution, letting the heat available for cooking remaining in the solution convert any hair that may be left. The length of time for carrying on the cooking and converting the hair depends among other considerations upon its bulk; upon, also, the condition of the hair, whether it be heavy matted hair or light loose hair, and, also, whether the hair is kept agitated in the digester. Light loose hair can be converted in from two to three hours if kept agitated. If not agitated it takes a longer time or from five to seven hours. Heavy matted hair takes a much longer time or from twenty to twenty-four hours if not agitated, or from six to eight hours if agitated.

While as above described I prefer to em- Specificationof Letters Patent. Application filed May 12, 1910. Serial No. 561,015.

Patented AugLil, 1914:.

t ploy a solution of caustic soda as a reduc- Be it known that I, CHARLES H. CA P mg or converting agent and which I have found excellent for converting the hair under the circumstances above recited, yet it is apparent that light solutions of other alkaline substances may be employed among which I have found that a 3 per cent. solution of barium sulfid is very good. A one per cent. solution of caustic potash is also an excellent one. In this connection, however, it should be expressly understood that by the term dilute alkaline solution I mean such dilute alkaline solution as will operate to convert the hair only upon theapplication of heat, meaning also such dilute alkaline-solution that the hair will be converted upon gently cooking the same for a protracted period of time. By the employment of such adilute alkaline solution and by gently cooking the hair in such solution for a protracted period of time I am enabled to obtain the objects of my invention, namely, the preservation of the nitrogenous elements in the hair. A dilute solution of lime could not be used according to the present process for a dilute solution of lime is incapable of converting the hair. IVhen a sufficiently strong milk of lime is used as will convert the hair it will act to so destroy the nitrogenous elements in the hair through the release of ammonia as precludes its use in the present connection. The added lime would also tend to adulterate the finished product and thereby reduce the ammonia content, if any remained therein.

I have found that if the process be carried on in this way the nitrogenous elements in the hair will be preserved in the resultant product.

After the conversion of the hair as aforesaid in order to further fit the resultant product for commercial handling and usage it is dried and ground. The drying is preferably first begun after the product has become fairly well cooled. This may be and preferably is accomplished by a series of steam-heated drying rolls arranged to dip i indicated by the product becoming of a light chocolate color and assuming a more or less flaky consistency, the flakes falling or being easily removed from the rolls. drying the resultant product is ground when it is ready for use. The grinding may be accomplished in any suitable manner.

' I Having thus fully described'my invention,

' I claimand desire to secure by Letters Patv ent of the United States 1'. The process of converting hair comprising a gentle cooking of the hair by applied heat for a protracted period of time 'in'the presence of such dilute alkaline solutionas will operate to convert the hair only upon the application of heat.

2: The process of converting hair comprising a gentle cooking of the hair by applied heat for a protracted period of time in the presence of such dilute alkaline solution; as will operate to convert the hair only 'upon' the application of heat, continuing the cooking until the hair has become about all 1' Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the After the converted in the liquor and converting the remaining hair by the same alkali and the heat available for cooking remaining in the liquor upon Withdrawal ofthe'appli'ed heat. 3..The, process of converting hair comprising a gentle cooking of the hair by applied heat for a protracted period of time in the presence of such dilute alkalinesolution as will operate to convert the hair only upon the application of heat, and afterward drying the'converted hairby an application of heat at a relatively high temperature for a short period of time.

4-. Th-eprocess of converting hair comprising a gentlecooking of the hair by applied heat for a protracted period of time in the presence of such dilute alkaline solution as Will operate to convert the hair only upon the application of heat; and afterwarddrying the converted hair in thin filmsiby an application of high heat thereto" for a short period of time.

I CHARLES H. CAMPBELL.

'VVitnesses:

JOHN E. R. HAYES, M. D. NEWMAN.

Commissioner ofl'atnta,

Washington, D. 0." 

